A lost promise
by BrokenHudie
Summary: Just because you have a cold demeanor doesn't mean you have a cold heart. That stays true to Paul, at least, to Clove it does.
1. Chapter 1

A Lost promise

Rain falling. Footsteps pattering on the water-sodden concrete. Somewhere far off thunder growled lightly. Heavy breathing. She had to get to him, before it was too late.

A warm gust blew a piece of hair in front of her face. Pulling back the raven colored strand, she gazed out at the looming mountains. They were so great up close, yet at this view point, they seemed so far away. The secluded atmosphere seemed almost too lonesome. To the girl however, they were a second home. Getting up she walked almost soundlessly into the shadowed pine forest and headed back to town.

Hearthome City was a rather busy place with the Contest Hall and the Hearthome gym. The girl; Clove dodged around everyone trying not to be noticed, but to be fair, there wasn't anything particularly interesting about her. Raven dark hair that fell just past her elbows was put up in its usual pig tales. Some thought she was girly with that look but that was just a thought to those who didn't know her. A white tuxedo blouse went charmingly with her navy blue skirt that stopped mid-thigh. Her black one-inch heeled boots clicked boringly against the pavement.

Click. Clack. Click. Clack. On and on the sound vibrates though the empty stairway. Finally, reaching door number 284, Clove walks in and heads straight for the balcony. Breathing in the fresh air, she looks down at the crowded streets of Hearthome. Tomorrow is when she starts her adventure. Her adventure as a Pokemon trainer.

Leaving Professor Rowan's laboratory with Turtwig's pokeball, I decide to take a stroll in the forest with my new starter.

"Turtwig come on out."

The tiny leaf Pokemon loved the enclosed forest. We start walking in a random direction when we come across a clearing. There we find a boy around my age, 13, only to see him training with his own Pokemon including a Turtwig.

"Use energy ball on that tree."

His Turtwig obeys and the attack lands perfectly in the center of the trunk of the pine. He seems to notice something different in the surroundings.

"Whoever you are come out or I'll have to force you."

_"__Isn't he just making a great first impression."_ I rolled my eyes and came out of the shadows.

"What do you want." He seemed irritated at my presence.

"I'm just observing, nothing wrong with that." I responded.

"What's your name?"

I hesitated before giving the stranger my name. "…Clove."

"I'm Paul."

I was intrigued by him, after all these woods were strictly off limits and I had never met anyone else here.

"Hmm, do you live in Hearthome City?"

"No."

"That's a shame, we could've been rivals…anyway nice meeting you.

Paul stood there and looked on. I began walking off toward the hills with the mountain view and didn't stop. When I got there I sat down and enjoyed the scenery while Turtwig snacked on some wild Oran berries.


	2. Chapter 2

Three years had passed since I first met Paul. Later we ran into each other at several gyms and towns. Since then we have gotten closer and I have the honor of being called a friend by him. I rolled my eyes the first time he said it. Just having turned 15, him 16, we miraculously met again in the same darkened musty pine forest.

While sitting on the exact same hill that overlooked the mountains, I heard noises from deep within the forest so I decided to check it out. I slowly approached the unidentified noise, trying my best not to be seen or heard, luck however was never in my favor. Crunch! I cringed as I stepped on a dry twig. The commotion stopped.

"Who's there."

I widened my eyes at the voice.

_"__Paul!" _I thought.

Walking out of the shadows I offered a small genuine smile. He didn't move from his spot but I could see recognition in his eyes.

"It's been forever." I drawled out.

"Hmph, you seem well."

Of course he still has attitude problems. But he's made an effort to become nicer, even if it's just a sliver.

"Your Torterra has really grown since he was a little Turtwig." I smiled at his Torterra.

"Did you beat Cynthia?" He asked.

I sighed inwardly at the question. "No, that's been my goal ever since I started my journey, I've been thinking about traveling to other regions to become stronger."

Curious, I repeated his question. He replied with a simple no.

"…"

"What is it?"

He could see that I was pondering about something.

"Well…if we both have the same goal; to become stronger and defeat Cynthia and other strong opponents, why don't we just travel together.

Paul scoffed. "I'm fine on my own."

_"__And that's your biggest mistake." _Frowning slightly, I dismissed the sudden thought.

"How about a Pokemon battle? I'd like to see how much stronger you've gotten." I say pulling out a pokeball.

"Three on three." He replies, also pulling out a pokeball.


	3. Chapter 3

We're both on our last Pokemon, him with his Froslass, me with my Absol. Both were really tired, however Froslass had the advantage since it had frozen Absol's left fore leg.

"Use Hail."

"Hang in there Absol!"

Absol was struggling against the Hail, still frozen.

"Now use Ice Shard."

"Counter with Psycho Cut!"

Broken pieces of the Ice Shard were scattered all around Absol. He managed to break free however.

_"__I can't risk anymore damage so I'll just stick with defense."_

"Alright use Swords dance!"

Knowing the move fairly well Paul didn't command his Froslass to do anything, the hail was still raging on though.

"Now use Double Team!"

Copies of Absol appeared in a circle around Froslass.

"Get rid of them with Ice Beam."

Froslass started taking down each illusion until they were all gone. Absol was nowhere in the latter however.

"Night Slash!"

Jumping out of the trees, Absol leaped high above Froslass and proceeded to use the move.

"Use Ice Beam!"

Unfortunately for me, the attack struck before Absol could launch the move and had fainted.

"You did well, now take a break." I said after returning Absol to his pokeball.

"You'll never defeat Cynthia like that." Paul said harshly.

I put my hand on my hip and tilted my head.

"Still a bit rough with words I see. Anyway, I should go, I have a date."

Turning back toward the way I came, I started walking off like last time, except I was stopped.

"Wait, what did you say?"

Facing Paul, I again put my hand on my right hip.

"A date. Is it _really_ that hard to believe?"

Continuing with my stroll back to town, I smirked. His reaction was _exactly _what I had been hoping for. Truth be told, I didn't actually have a date, it was just a test.

After the encounter in the forest, we had met again in Canalave City. When we were there I had made him make a promise to me, no swear to it. The promise being to never lose each other. My excuse was because he was such a good rival but I'm pretty sure he didn't believe me. In fact, he probably thought it was something else but thankfully he didn't push it. To answer your question, I _was_ falling for my rival/best friend/crush. And I hated myself for it.


	4. Chapter 4

Not too long ago, about a week, I had just found out that my best friend, greatest rival, and love interest, had lost everything. His mother, father, and older brother Reggie, had all died in a car accident. They were supposedly crossing a train track at night when a rouge train came crashing through and had hit them. No one knows what had happened to the train, the lights were off with no one aboard.

Since then, I had not seen Paul anywhere. I tried gyms, competitions, even his hometown Veilstone City. I knew that that would be too much for him, however I still went there just in case.

I sighed. _"I can't find him anywhere! Maybe I should look in the pine forest, he's usually training…hmm?"_

As I was about to start walking, I noticed the setting sun peeking out of the trees. Gray clouds loomed in the sky.

"I guess there's not much point in searching through darkness and rain. Now where's the Pokemon Center?"

Pulling out a map, I walked down the street and took a right, then left. After registering a room I just had to ask Nurse Joy if Paul had been through here but when I opened my mouth to speak she said she had a letter for me. Surprised, I took it and found out that it was actually from Paul. I thanked her and hurried to my designated room.

_Clove,_

_If you're wondering where I am, it's none of your business-_

_"__Well there's that cheery attitude." _I thought.

_-but since you've been looking so hard, I might as well tell you. I'm going to visit my family._

_"__That makes sense, I wonder where the gravestones are." _Shaking it out of my head, I went back to the letter. The letter was short but then again, Paul wasn't one for much words, however the last part had me confused.

_I'm sorry._

_-Paul_

~Later that night~

Sleep threatened to pull me into a dark void, but I couldn't stop thinking about the letter. Forcing myself to forget about it, I began to drift off.

_I'm going to visit my family. I'm sorry. I'm going to visit my family. I'm sorry. Visit. Sorry. Visit. _

Bolting out of sleep, I realized what "visit" meant.

(Chapter break)

Rain falling. Footsteps pattering on the water-sodden concrete. Somewhere far off thunder growled lightly. Heavy breathing. She had to get to him, before it was too late.

I knew Paul well but he had always been distant.

_"__I should have realized it before! Ugh I'm such a baka!"_

As the treeline of the forest appeared in my line of sight, my heart dropped. I heard the blare of the train horn in the far distance.

_"__I'm not going to make it!"_

Running as hard as I could, finally getting to the train tracks, I realized with dread that my assumptions were right. Paul was going to die.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N- I got so caught up in uploading chapters that I forgot to type down notes! Oops. Thanks to everyone who read my story! Please R&R!

Disclaimer- I don't own Pokemon.

While sitting on the soaked train track, I thought about how my life looked afar. My parents and brother were gone, Ash had beat me at the Sinnoh League, and there wasn't anyone really close to me except…

I didn't finish the thought. A little voice in the back of my mind echoed it however. _Clove._

"Damn you Clove!" I angrily shouted into the night.

The train approached closer. Before long I could see the light faintly shining around the bend.

_"__There's no going back now. Bye Clove." _

Closing my eyes, I let the rain pour down on me.

"Paul!"

My eyes shot open. Looking around frantically, I searched for the voice. But there was nothing.

"Must have been my imagination." I muttered.

Headlights from the train now came into my peripheral view. I was about 25 meters away from death.

"Paul! Get out of there!"

_"__That voice again! I can't get distracted." _But even with my thoughts something forced me to look for it. Turning to my right, I saw a figure running toward me. Clove. She was soaked from top to bottom, her pigtails had broken free thanks to the rain, dark hair now down to her stomach. There was a look of shock and desperation across her face.

"Paul please don't do it!"

She was getting closer but not close enough. I could barely make out what she was saying over the rain and thunder. The train drew nearer, 20 yards, 15, now 10. And there wasn't anything Clove could do about it.

At least, that's what Paul thought.

BRRRRRRRRRR!

Moving at a hypersonic pace, my fatality (The train) was a few yards away. It was so close now, that I could see the details of the train front. I had to squint my eyes due to the blinding lights, and began counting down.

Three…

Two…

On-!

A heavy force shoved me out of the train's path. Landing roughly in the mud a few mere feet from the tracks, the train rushed past.

_"__What the hell was that?!"_

That had completely caught me off guard. Scrambling backwards to avoid getting a limb chopped off, I thought about what had just happened. Then it clicked.

"CLOVE!"

Clove had been in the emergency room for hours now. The heart rate monitor terrifyingly quiet with the occasional beep. Her skin looked ghostly pale matching her medical gown that all patients wear when they get a checkup, or worse… Plastic tubes and scary looking needles were poking out of her everywhere, arms, hands, neck, injecting stuff that kept her alive, if you could even call it that anymore.

Standing next to the glass window, I cursed myself for leaving the note.

"That damned note." Seething with anger, I forced myself to walk out of the room, out of the hospital, and back out into the rain.

~4 months later~

Gripping a bouquet of clovers I stood in front of the stone. After 9 hours of seem less hope, the doctors had said that even though her heart was beating just barely, there was no way to revive her. Her funeral had been just what she wanted. Small, quiet, and her gravestone, a simple cross with a nameplate.

_Here lies Clover Kumatsu._

_1996-2007_

Most of all…

~Flashback~

I giggled as the tall grass tickled my neck. After I got to know Paul, I showed him the hill overlooking the mountains. He was laying on his back, eyes closed with his arms under his head.

Playfully shoving him lightly. "Hey you should be admiring the beautiful scenery!"

He opened one eye and looked at me. "It's just the same thing everyday."

"That's what you think." Shaking my head in disagreement.

Laying down next to him his closed his eye again and I sighed.

"If I die before you, I want clovers on my gravestone."

Paul opened both eyes and looked at me weirdly. After a little bit he said "Weirdo." And went back to his nap. I looked up and smiled, also closing my eyes to bathe in the warm sunlight.

~End flashback~

…she wanted clovers on her gravestone. Placing them down in front of the cross, I turned to leave but stopped as something caught my eye. A little piece of paper peeking out of the nameplate. Pulling it out I flattened it to see Clove's neat, small cursive. Widening my eyes, I started reading it immediately,

_Dear Paul,_

_If you're reading this, then I'm …well I'm dead. I'm writing this not as a suicide note, but to tell you that you can't die! Committing suicide is a selfish and cowardice thing to do no matter what happens. Even though you broke your last promise, make me a new one. Don't try to kill yourself ever again. Promise?_

_Love, Clove._

_P.S. Thanks for the clovers!_

I didn't notice I was shaking until I finished the letter. Tears were on the verge of spilling. Shoving the letter into my pocket, I looked down at the grave one more time. Just as I was about to leave I whispered. Maybe Clove was there or maybe she wasn't but I know she heard it.

"Promise."

~End~


End file.
